1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus having a detachable cartridge, and more particularly relates to the attachment and detachment mechanism of a cartridge.
2. Related Background Art
As attachment and detachment mechanisms of a head cartridge provided for an ink jet recording apparatus, a reference pad, a contact pad, and a shelf-shaped member have been provided on the side of a head cartridge, the rear thereof, and the upper section of the rear thereof, respectively, and the head cartridge is secured onto a given position of a carriage by Press-contacting the shelf-shaped member with a snap-spring, as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-125238. According to these mechanisms, the head cartridge can be attached and detached and at the same time can be electrically connected.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional examples, there were the following problems.
When the head cartridge is attached or detached, it is rotated or pivoted around the reference pad. Therefore, the head cartridge easily interferes with a platen or a spur placed in the vicinity of the cartridge. When a concave relief portion is provided in the platen or the position of the spur is significantly relieved, to prevent this interference, waving of the recording paper is increased for example and a state of holding the recording paper is deteriorated, resulting in deterioration of images.
Thus, a device is known, which can attach and detach a head cartridge at the area other than the paper path, where a spur and the like are not provided. For this device, when a user carelessly moves a carriage during an operation of attachment or detachment of the head cartridge, an interfering portion is generated and a head cartridge or a spur is possibly broken.
Further, when an ink tank replaceable head cartridge is used, only the ink tank is replaced with the head cartridge being, of course, secured to the carriage. Then, when a force required for setting the ink tank is imparted, the snap-spring becomes dislodged. Therefore, the head cartridge must be secured again. To increase the snap-spring loading force to prevent this requires a very large operating force for securing the head cartridges.